Here are pictures of a similar valve as I had found some packing (also in the picture) and put the original valve back into service.
The packing has stopped the water leak however a bit of clear, slightly viscous slime material has oozed past the packing nut. I can
only imagine it came from the packing material (the plumbing supply store didn't have packing material and suggested I go to a local Rubber and Gasket Supply store where the clerk cut a piece off a roll for me-- I didn't see the roll where the piece was cut from -- the clerk said it was graphite or Teflon packing).

I am curious if this ooze is normal -- it was only a few drops which I wiped off the packing nut. The valve is a cutoff for the bathtub hot water supply and had been in place about 20 years before it started leaking.

That valve does NOT use a "string packing", and it is NOT a "packing nut". It is a stem removal or assembly union. If you removed the stem you should find an "O" ring in a recess around the stem.

Click to expand...

Hi HJ,

yes you are right, the original "packing", seemingly a plastic washer or 'O" ring, had disintegrated after 20 years and I could not find an exact replacement -- that's why I wondered about using string packing. Though the string packing does seem to be working, except perhaps for the slightly viscous slime material that oozed past the stem removal nut (discussed in previous post with the pictures), I gather from your reply that this may not be a good long-term solution?